October 21, 2002

Product: NiceLog, NiceUniverse

Network Usage
Technical Brief
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email: support@nice.com, APAC Region (Asia/Pacific) tel: +852.8338 9818, fax: +852.28021800,
email: support.apac@nice.com, AMERICAS Region: tel: 1.800.NICE.611 fax: +720.264.4012
email: support.americas@nice.com, ISRAEL: tel: 09.775.3333 fax: 09.775.3000
email: support_helpdesk@nice.com
Information herein is proprietary information and trade secrets of NICE Systems Ltd.
NICE Systems 2002. All rights reserved.
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Network Usage for NiceLog and
NiceUniverse Systems
This document provides a general and detailed description of the network usage for NiceLog and
NiceUniverse Systems.
Contents
Overview............................................................................................................................ 2
Network Usage by NICE Systems ................................................................................... 3
TCP/UDP Ports Used by NICE System Servers or Workstations ................................ 3
General Schematic Diagram........................................................................................ 6
Detailed Information..................................................................................................... 7
General Information ....................................................................................................... 23
UDP............................................................................................................................23
TCP............................................................................................................................23
Port Number............................................................................................................... 23
Overview
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Overview
The purpose of this document is to provide valuable information about networking usage for the
NiceLog and NiceUniverse systems.
Most of network connections between Nice System Servers and clients are mapped in this
document. In cases where several connections between two servers or workstations are the same
from a network point of view, only certain examples are included in this document.
The information in this document is based upon both theoretical analysis and practical testing.
Tests were all run using OTS networking tools.
Following is a list of some of the acronyms used in this document:
Table 1: Acronyms Used in this Document
APP Application
ML Media Library
OTS Of the Shelf
RTS Remote Tape Server
SA Screen Agent
SC Storage Center
SL Screen Logger
TCP Transmission Control Protocol
TSM Tivoli Storage Management System
UDP User Datagram Protocol
VL Voice Logger
WBS Web Server
WS Workstation
Network Usage by NICE Systems
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Network Usage by NICE Systems
Following are general comments regarding network usage by the system:
The port used by the CAPI can be configured on both the NiceCLS side and the application
side. Changes can be done from the registry. Certain drivers use the CAPI in order to
communicate with the Call Server. In these cases you must change the port number in the
driver too. All those mentioned configurations are configurable from the Registry.
Ports 161,162 are used between system components (UDP) for Nice SNMP service (NICE
Supervision SNMP and/or Unicenter SNMP).
Most internal server-server and client-server communication in the system is done through
the Nicecomm layer. Nicecomm is limited to a maximum of 50 connections on the same port.
TCP/UDP Ports Used by NICE System Servers or Workstations
NiceCLS Server
NiceLog Voice Logger
Table 2: TCP/UDP Ports Used by NiceCLS Server
Port Used By
TCP
2050 CAPI
(Can be configured to use other ports as well.)
1433 Database
UDP
2101 Channel server
2005 Status Server
2002 Output manager
1450 Lock manager
Table 3: TCP/UDP Ports Used by NiceLog Voice Logger
Port Used By
TCP
2011 NiceCom
Network Usage by NICE Systems
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
NiceScreen Logger
RTS (Remote Tape Server)
2001 NiceCom
UDP
2000 Nicecom
Table 3: TCP/UDP Ports Used by NiceLog Voice Logger (Continued)
Port Used By
Table 4: TCP/UDP Ports Used by NiceScreen Logger
Port Used By
TCP
2102 Nicecom
2202 Nicecom
UDP
2101
2201
Table 5: TCP/UDP Ports Used by RTS
Port Used By
TCP
3001
3002
UDP
3011
3012
Network Usage by NICE Systems
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Media Library
Application Web Server
Storage Center
Table 6: TCP/UDP Ports Used by Media Library
Port Used By
UDP
2006
Table 7: TCP/UDP Ports Used by Application Web Server
Port Used By Comment
TCP
80 (HTTP)
8080 (HTTP)
Table 8: TCP/UDP Ports Used by Storage Center
Port Used By
TCP
7200
2001
2011
1433
UDP
2000
2012
Network Usage by NICE Systems
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
General Schematic Diagram
Remote
Media
Library
NiceLog Voice
Logger
NiceCLS
NiceScreen
Logger
NICE
Web
NICE Applications
UDP Port: 2000
Web
TCP Port: 2001
Work Station
Tape Server
ScreenAgent
UDP Port:
TCP Port:
3001
UDP Port:
2000
2000
UDP Port:
2101
UDP Ports:
1460
2002
2006
TCP Ports:
1433
2050
TCP Ports:
2101
2102
UDP Ports:
2101
TCP Port:
1433
TCP Port:
80
Browser
Server
TCP Port:
UDP Port:
2101
2102
TCP Ports:
2011
2001
UDP Port:
2000
Storage
Center
TCP Port:
7200
TCP Port:
1433
Server
TCP Port: 2001, 2011
UDP Port: 2000, 2012
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Detailed Information
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
Toolbar
ApplicationLogin
App <-->
CLS
TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~134KB Ether 269 139953
IP 269 135799
TCP 269 130419
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
191 123746
Open Monitor
Application in Agent
Mode
App <-->
CLS
TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~188KB Ether 402 188326
App <-->
CLS
TCP 2050 CAPI IP 402 182216
TCP 402 174176
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
281 163547
Query Logger
(sessions)
App <-> VL TCP Logger API ~27KB Ether 87 27243 100 results
IP 87 25875
TCP 75 21939
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Query NiceCLS App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~57KB Ether 119 57293 100 results
IP 119 56880
TCP 111 53036
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
73 50449
Edit Comment in the
Logger from Query
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~1KB Ether 6 1070
IP 6 980
UDP 6 860
Logger Session Lock
from Query
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~0.2KB Ether 2 202
IP 2 168
UDP 2 128
Constant Pause/
Resume Commands
by Channel Server to
Voice Logger in
Selective Recording
System
CLS <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~1KB
per
second
per
Logger
Ether 8 1736
IP 8 1624
UDP 8 1464
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Get Status of Logger
Channel - Monitor
Application
App <-> VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~0.9KB
per sec
per
logger
Ether 220 55220 60 seconds
IP 220 51352 Polling operation
in Logger view in
Monitor
application
TCP 218 46760
UDP 2 192
Playback Over LAN App <-> VL UDP 2000 Logger API 4KB per
sec per
thread
Ether 63 17138 4 seconds
App <-> VL TCP 2011 IP 63 16164 ADPCM 16
App <-> VL TCP 2001 Logger API TCP 30 11132
UDP 33 3772
Test NiceCLS from
Supervision
Application
App <-> CLS UDP 2005 Status server ~3.4KB Ether 24 3408
IP 24 3072
UDP 24 2592
Test Logger from
Supervision
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~16KB Ether 70 16256 Get configuration
with the same
command
App <->VL UDP 2000 IP 70 15112
TCP 44 9472
UDP 26 4240
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Get Channel
Information from
Supervision
Application
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~18KB Ether 80 18262
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API IP 80 16900
TCP 66 14096
UDP 14 1204
Get Channel Statistic
Alarms from
Supervision
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~18KB Ether 80 18262
App <->VL UDP 2000 IP 80 16900
TCP 66 14096
UDP 14 1204
Typical Activity Report
in Supervision
Application
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~87KB Ether 228 86790
App <->VL UDP 2000 IP 228 83100
TCP 214 77336
UDP 14 1204
Standby Logger
Statistics from
Supervision
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~23KB Ether 95 23069
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API IP 95 21605
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API TCP 85 18341
UDP 10 1364
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
49 12107
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Configure Logger
Clock from
Supervision
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~0.5KB Ether 4 516
IP 4 452
UDP 4 372
Set Logger Clock from
Supervision
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~60KB
per
logger
Ether 755 171782 For 3 loggers
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API IP 755 158772
TCP 615 131188
UDP 140 12484
Upload Infromation
from Logger
(Supervision)
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~18KB Ether 78 18030 60 Logger
channels
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API IP 78 16696
TCP 66 14096
UDP 12 1040
Download Information
to Logger
(Supervision)
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API ~96KB Ether 654 96424 60 Logger
channels
App <->VL UDP 2000 IP 654 86048
TCP 132 28304
UDP 522 44664
Restart Logger
Command from
Supervision
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~0.2KB Ether 2 258
IP 2 224
UDP 2 184
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Supervision Logout App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~38KB Ether 141 37788
App<-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
IP 141 35608
TCP 133 32080
UDP 8 708
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
94 29182
ROD - Record Next
Call Command
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.5KB Ether 4 474
IP 4 406
TCP 4 326
ROD - Stop Record
Command
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.4KB Ether 3 384
IP 3 336
TCP 3 276
Get System
Resources from
Monitor Application
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 ~0.7KB Ether 5 698
IP 5 622
TCP 5 522
Agent Logout Event in
Monitor Application
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.2KB Ether 2 198
IP 2 164
TCP 2 124
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Agent Login Event in
Monitor Application
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.2KB Ether 2 198
IP 2 164
TCP 2 124
ROD - Record All Calls
Command
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.4KB Ether 3 419
IP 3 371
TCP 3 311
ROD - Record Current
Call Command
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~1.2KB Ether 7 1183
IP 7 1067
TCP 7 927
Start Call Event -
Monitor Application
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.5KB Ether 2 468
IP 2 434
TCP 2 394
End Call Event -
Monitor Application
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 CAPI ~0.4KB Ether 2 437
IP 2 403
TCP 2 363
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Voice Monitor Request
on Agent from Monitor
Application
App <-> CLS TCP 2050 Ether 16 2350 Voice only - no
screen
App <-> CLS UDP 2002 Output
manager
IP 16 2108 Only NiceCLS -
APP path - need to
add Logger
application path
and Logger
NiceCLS path
TCP 8 924
UDP 8 864
Playback Agent Call
via Speaker from
Monitor Application
App <-> CLS UDP 2002 Output
manager
~18KB
per
second
Ether 10 1127726 2 minute call
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API IP 10 1048120
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API UDP 10 3000
TCP 4488 954720
Define Output
Manager in
Administrator
Application
App <-> CLS UDP 2002 Ether 16119221 284
IP 2 256
UDP 2 216
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Browse for Loggers in
Administrator
Appication
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~5K per
logger
Ether 1253 368237 Broadcast
IP 1253 350689 75 Loggers
ICMP 322 11592
UDP 924 312652
IP NETBIOS
(ssn)
2 93
Define New Voice
Logger in
Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~126KB Ether 737 126279
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API IP 737 115451
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
TCP 717 98395
UDP 20 2316
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
580 58537
Open Backup Window
in Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~80KB Ether 148 79936
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API IP 148 77696
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
TCP 134 72124
UDP 14 2612
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
96 65140
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Eject Media Command
from Backup Window
in Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~2KB Ether 6 2076
IP 6 1992
UDP 6 1872
Show Device Info from
Backup window in
Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~3.5KB Ether 10 3460
IP 10 3320
UDP 10 3120
Show Media Content
from Backup Window
in Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~3.3KB Ether 24 3340
App <->VL TCP 2001 IP 24 2944
TCP 18 592
UDP 6 1872
Device Status Report
from Backup Window
in Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~8.6KB Ether 35 8592
App <->VL TCP 2011 IP 35 8028
TCP 21 4716
UDP 14 2612
Configure Devices
from Backup Window
in Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~8.6KB Ether 35 8592
App <->VL TCP 2011 IP 35 8028
TCP 21 4716
UDP 14 2612
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Setup Automatic
Archiving from
Backup Window in
Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~13KB Ether 46 13380
App <->VL TCP 2011 IP 46 12656
TCP 22 4680
UDP 24 7056
Assign Deck to
Manual Archiving from
Backup Window in
Admin Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~2.8KB Ether 8 2768
IP 8 2656
UDP 8 2496
Configure Input
Channel Name in
Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~8.3KB Ether 39 8312
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API IP 39 7674
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
TCP 33 6382
UDP 6 512
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
10 1482
Media Library Polling
with Configured
Loggers
App <->VL TCP 2001 ~1.3KB
per
logger
every
20
seconds
Ether 18 1264 20 seconds
IP 18 952
TCP 18 592
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Get Media Library
Status from
Administrator
Application
App <-> ML UDP 2000 ~2.5KB Ether 18 2556 When Media
Library is not on
the same
workstation as the
Administrator app
IP 18 2304
UDP 18 1944
Backup Window
Polling on Loggers
Status
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~1.4KB
every
10
seconds
Ether 24 8304 1 Logger for 1
minute
IP 24 7968
UDP 24 7488
Media Library Printer
Status
App <-> ML UDP 2000 ~3.6KB Ether 14 3588
IP 14 3392
UDP 14 3112
Information Request
Regarding Media
Archived on a Certain
Logger from Media
Library
App <-> ML UDP 2000 ~0.9KB Ether 6 852
IP 6 768
UDP 6 648
Get Media Information
from Backup Window
in Administrator
Application
App <-> ML UDP 2000 ~0.6KB Ether 4 568
IP 4 512
UDP 4 432
Assign Deck for
Retrieval - Backup
Window from
Administrator App
App <->VL UDP 2000 ~1.4KB Ether 4 1384
IP 4 1328
UDP 4 1248
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Open Hot Standby
System Window in
Administrator
Application
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~2.1KB Ether 5 2126
IP 5 2050
TCP 5 1950
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
4 1850
Learn All Command in
Hot Standby System
Window in
Administrator
Application
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~30KB Ether 122 29834 For chain with 2+1
loggers, 48
channels per
Logger
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API IP 122 27868
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API TCP 78 20980
UDP 44 4448
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
12 6588
Update and Save Hot
Standby System in
Administrator
Application
App <-> CLS TCP 1433 Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
~103KB Ether 665 103382 For chain with 2+1
Loggers, 48
channels per
Logger
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API IP 665 92282
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API TCP 187 36838
UDP 478 42144
Sybase/
Microsoft TDS
34 3306
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Update Only - Hot
Standby System in
Administrator
Application
App <->VL UDP 2000 Logger API ~101KB Ether 645 101398 For chain with 2+1
Loggers, 48
channels per
Logger
App <->VL TCP 2011 Logger API IP 645 90544
TCP 163 35172
UDP 482 42472
Get Screen
Information in
Administrator
Application
App <-> SL UDP 2101 ~0.8KB Ether 6 792
IP 6 708
UDP 6 588
Screen Agent Logoff
from Screen Logger
SA <-> SL UDP 2101 ~0.1KB Ether 1 130
IP 1 116
UDP 1 96
Screen Agent Login to
Screen Logger
SA <-> SL UDP 2101 ~0.1KB Ether 1 130
IP 1 116
UDP 1 96
Screen Logger Get
Time from Voice
Logger
SL <-> VL UDP 2000 Ether 6 640 10 minutes,
configurable
IP 6 556
UDP 6 436
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Constant Session
Between Screen
Logger and Channel
Server in NiceCLS
SL<-> CLS UDP 2101 ~0.3KB
every
10
seconds
Ether 2 264 10 second interval
IP 2 236
UDP 2 196
Constant Resume
Commands Between
Channal Server and
Loggers
CLS <-> VL UDP 2000 ~0.7KB
every
10
seconds
per
logger
Ether 48 10416 2 minutes
IP 48 9744
UDP 48 8784
Time Difference
Request Between
Channel Server in
NiceCLS to Loggers
CLS <-> VL UDP 2000 ~0.6KB
every x
seconds
Ether 4 642 1 minute
IP 4 631
UDP 4 596
Lock Call from
Evaluator
App <-> CLS UDP 1450 ~0.2KB Ether 2 162 One call
CLS <-> VL UDP 2000 IP 2 128
CLS <-> SL UDP 2000 UDP 2 88
Unlock Call from
Evaluator
App <-> CLS UDP 1450 Ether 2 162
IP 2 128
UDP 2 88
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
Screen Recording SA <-> SL TCP 2102 ~1KB
per
second
Ether 196 64501 Window clock for
one minute
IP 196 61207
TCP 196 57287
Screen Playback from
Evaluator
App <-> SL TCP 2101 ~0.6KB
per
second
Ether 327 68560 2 minute call
App <-> SL TCP 2102 IP 327 63042
CLS <-> App ? ? TCP 323 56110
UDP 4 392
Web Application Login Browser <->
WBS
TCP 80 HTTP ~541KB Ether 702 540877
IP 702 529512
TCP 702 515472
HTTP 427 482935
RTS Working with
Logger
RTS <->
Logger
TCP 3001 ~0.2KB
per
second
Ether 183 13908 1 minute
IP 183 10980
TCP 183 7320
Table 9: Network Usage Detailed Information (Continued)
Session Name Route
TCP/
UDP
Protocol Port Size
Detailed
Comments
Protocol Frames Bytes
General Information
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
General Information
UDP
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a communications protocol that offers certain services for
messages which are exchanged between computers in a network that uses the Internet Protocol
(IP). UDP is an alternative to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and, together with IP, is
sometimes referred to as UDP/IP. Like Transmission Control Protocol, UDP uses the Internet
Protocol to actually get a data unit (called a datagram) from one computer to another. Unlike TCP,
however, UDP does not provide the service of dividing a message into packets (datagrams) and
reassembling it at the other end. Specifically, UDP does not provide sequencing of the packets in
which the data arrives. This means that the application program that uses UDP must be able to
ensure that the entire message has arrived, and is in the correct order. Network applications that
want to save processing time because they have very small data units to exchange (and therefore
very little message reassembling to do) may prefer UDP to TCP. The Trivial File Transfer Protocol
(TFTP) uses UDP instead of TCP.
UDP provides two services which are not included in the IP layer. It provides the port number to
help distinguish different user requests, and optionally, a checksum capability to verify that the
data arrived intact.
In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communication model, UDP, like TCP, is in layer 4,
the Transport Layer.
TCP
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a protocol used along with the Internet Protocol to send
data in the form of message units between computers over the Internet. While IP takes care of
handling the actual delivery of the data, TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual units of
data (called packet) that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet.
TCP is known as a connection-oriented protocol, which means that a connection is established and
maintained until the message or messages to be exchanged by the application programs at each end
have been exchanged. TCP is responsible for ensuring that a message is divided into the packets
that IP manages and for reassembling the packets back into the complete message at the other end.
In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communication model, TCP is in layer 4, the
Transport Layer.
Port Number
A port number is a way to identify a specific process in which an Internet or other network
message is to be forwarded when it arrives at a server. For the Transmission Control Protocol and
the User Datagram Protocol, a port number is a 16-bit integer, included in the header appended to
a message unit. This port number is passed logically between client and server transport layers and
physically between the transport layer and the Internet Protocol layer and then forwarded.
General Information
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Network Usage by NiceLog and NiceUniverse Systems
For example, from your client workstation, you may request a file from a server on the Internet.
This file may be served from that host's File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server or process. In order to
pass your request to the FTP process in the remote server, the Transmission Control Protocol
(TCP) software layer in your computer identifies the port number of 21 (which by convention is
associated with an FTP request) in the 16-bit port number integer that is appended to your request.
At the server, the TCP layer will read the port number of 21 and forward your request to the FTP
program at the server.
Some services or processes have conventionally assigned permanent port numbers. These are
known as well-known port numbers. In other cases, a port number is assigned temporarily (for the
duration of the request and its completion) from a range of assigned port numbers. This is called an
ephemeral port number.
Well-known port numbers
The well-known port numbers are port numbers that are reserved for assignment by the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for use by the application end points that
communicate using the Internet's Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or the User Datagram
Protocol (UDP). Each kind of application has a designated (and thus "well-known") port number.
For example, a remote job entry application has the port number of 5; the Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) application has the port number of 80; and the Post Office Protocol Version 3
(POP3) application, commonly used for e-mail delivery, has the port number of 110. When one
application communicates with another application at another host computer on the Internet, it
specifies that application in each data transmission by using its port number.
The well-known ports cover the range of possible port numbers from 0 through 1023. The
registered ports are numbered from 1024 through 49151. The remaining ports, referred to as
dynamic ports or private ports, are numbered from 49152 through 65535.
On most systems, a well-known port number can only be used by a system (root) process or by a
program run by a privileged user. Before the arrival of ICANN, the well-known port numbers were
administered by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).